The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1887-10-27
glanitomof pilot.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER Of, 1887.
An Expert Stenographer.

How long have YOU lived here?"
The lawyer was taking the deposition
of his witness in his Office in the Mills
building, says the New York Mail and
Express. The pencil of the stenographer
was moving rapidly over his paper,
leaving behind it a string of pothooks
and other absurd symbols of speech.
You say that you have known the
defendant for the past ten years. Now,
| want to ask you whether at any time
during that period you ever noticed
any symptom of insanity in his be-
hayior?' continued the lawyer.
At the instant the LAWYER began this
query the steuographer turned to the
reporter, who was seated by his side at
the table, and, without stopping his
writing for a second, whispered:
wait moment and I'll be through.
This won't last much longer.
The reporter looked anxiously at the
notes, expecting TO see the pencil stop
in its travels, or at least at the end of
the questions, retrace its steps to revise
some phrases incorrectly transcribed.
But it made no such break. When
the lawyer ended his inquiry the pencil
stopped.
Now, sir" continued the lawyer,
you may tell me whether you were
well enough acquainted with the de-
PENDANT to know whether he showed
any weakness of mind or not?"
Before the stenographer had com
pleted the second line of his report he
again whispered to the reporter not to
be in a hurry, and, as before, con-
cluded his work without particle of
apparent interruption. This was the
last question, and after the papers were
gathered together and the witness had
left the office the reporter asked the
stenOgrapher whether he had written
correctly all that was said verbatim
or had only epitomized what had been
spoken.
Il wrote exactly what was said. Why
do you ask?'
Can you read it without difficulty"
'tOf course | can, otherwise | should
not be here; but why do you ask?"
Il didn see how you could write
down what was being said and speak
to me upon another subject at the same
time"
That is easy enough to do" re-
sponded the stenOgrapher with a
laugh, ''when you only know how and
practice long enough. Shorthand
writing is very much like playing the
piano or repeating something from
memory. 1t is mechanical. l found
years ago when | was reporting in a
western court, that it was extremely
useful to be able to hear and think of
other things transporting in the court
room than the evidence itself. | then
began practicing so that | could train
myself to do two separate things at the
same time would mentally make note
of everything occurring around me and
keep on with my hand writing. At
first | would make a mistake or
two, but | gradually got so that could
hear everything that was said and
understood it too, Notwithstanding
the fact that my pencil was moving all
the time"
Il should think that when you be-
gan to speak it would have thrown you
off your track?'
1t did at first. | learned that by
committing to memory some poem and
repeating it while | was reporting,
until at last l could carry on con
versatiOn on almost any subject and
write from dictation upon one entirely
different. It's very useful accom-
plishment, but | wouldn't advise you
| to learn it unless you intend to become
professional stenographer. and !
wouldn't advise that unless you have
nothino '',>-tter TO do than to break
stones III the s,t'seIS'